Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
“Is what bad?”
“Being around Paolo soothes me. It makes me. . .relaxed and I just. . .I feel guilty about it sometimes.”
"Tell me more."
“When I care for him, I can forget about my own shit."
"It always feels good to take care of someone else.”
"But, I don't know if it is. . .proper."
“For a long time, I had a consistent vision.” Baba opened her desk drawer and pulled out the stack of playing cards. “Always I saw a mouse riding a lion’s back with pride. The little creature held strands of the lion's mane like it was a horse’s leather harness. It has been some time since I have seen that. Now it is a new vision that comes to me, over and over.”
I leaned forward. “What do you see?”
“Three little mice playing and crawling in the mane of a sleeping lion. Near his paw, the mouse that was riding him in the other vision, now relaxes and nibbles cheese.”
“Three mice? Like kids?”
“Could be.”
“And the lion is sleeping? Not dead or anything?”
Grinning, Baba put the cards on the desk and pushed them over to me. “Not dead.”
“What made the vision change?”
“Paolo's appearance. I never saw him coming, but when he did. . .the vision changed.”
I stared at the deck of cards. “Why do you think that happened?”
“Your compassion. Your love. It all triggered something inside of you when you took control of him. Because of that, your love for Paolo completely shifted your future.”
I picked up the cards. “So. . .is Paolo. . .one of the mice or. . ?”
“I do not know.” Baba frowned. “I love that little boy too much to see his readings.”
“But, you can read King David's future?”
“To a point. It is always foggy and hard. I can more see what happens to him through the Lion's visions.” Baba touched a rosary bracelet on her wrists. “Days ago, I saw you all dressed in black and crying over a grave. Then, I saw the name and cried.”
“It was David's name?”
"Yes."
"Do you see that anymore?"
She twisted one of the rosary beads. “Since your meeting with Fela, I have not received that vision again.”
“Good.” I shuffled the cards one more time and placed them on the desk. “Tell me good things, Baba.”
“I will try.”
“I think we should also be using actual tarot cards.”
“Why?”
“Because these are playing cards. “
“It doesn't matter. Reading fortunes with a deck of playing cards is fine.”
“Why is that?”
“The cards have their own personalities and ways in which they interact with one another to develop a story or overall picture of what’s going on.”
“But do people use playing cards for reading?”
“Many do. It's actually called cartomancy.” She pushed the deck back in front of me. “This time we will have you pick more cards to get a bigger picture.”
“I don't want any more spades.”
“Do not worry. We will deal with what comes together, Emily.” She went into her drawer and pulled out that signature gemmed stick. “Pick six cards and place them in one line.”
I inhaled and then let out a long exhale. “Alright.”
I took my time choosing six cards. I picked one on the top and one on the bottom. I grabbed two from the center. Then, I moved the deck to the side and got two more.
Next, I spread them out into a line and hoped for the best.
“Here we go.” Baba flipped the first one over. “Jack of hearts. Very interesting.”
“If I'm the queen of hearts and Kazimir is the King, then who is the Jack?”
“The Jacks can represent children and young people. A Jack can also denote something small or the start of something new.”
“So?”
She tapped the desk. “Let's see the other one, before I say anything.”
I frowned.
She turned the next card over. “Another Jack of Hearts.”
“Two kids or. . .two things that are beginning?”
“I want to say this is two kids, but the meaning is a bit foggy.”
I tensed. “If it is foggy, then it could be about Paolo, since your mind is never clear with him.”
She nodded. “I was thinking that, but it is two cards.”
I touched my stomach. “What if this deals with my baby too?”
“I agree, yet that is also foggy. But that would make sense. I do know that I will fall madly in love with your son. Already I have seen visions of little Emilio and I strolling through a garden—”
“Emilio?”
“I believe you both settle on that name.”
I blinked. “Oh.”
Baba scratched her head. “Therefore, we say that the two Jack of Hearts belong to the children.”
“Baba, I need more confidence coming from you.”
“It has been a long day, Emily. I am not a fortune telling machine. I require rest and emotional down time.”
I smirked. “And you had some champagne.”
“Yes. I am a little tipsy.” She flipped the next card over. “Queen of Spades.”
Fuck.
I blew out a long breath. “That card always gives me Lunita vibes. Maybe, my mind is playing tricks on me or—”